All Roads and Eyes are Focused on the Vatican

Tomorrow, February 28 to be exact, Pope Benedict XVI will be leaving his papal post. The Vatican and the rest of the world are keenly following the news on who will succeed him. It will be a choice from one of the 120 elected Cardinals. Spain believes it has a chance, as the country has more than 10 Cardinals who could be elected, five of whom are members of the European electing board.

Two Italian Cardinals are also eligible, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi and Cardinal Angelo Scola. So too, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of South Africa. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines could be a candidate, although at 56, he might be too young for the post. Other candidates, if the Vatican looks outside of Europe for a likely successor to Pope Benedict XVI are Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer of Brazil, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri of Argentina, Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Canada’s Cardinal Marc Oeullet and Cardinal Timothy Dolan from New York.

While there are many rules, traditions, laws and qualification requirements for selecting a new Pope, what is more interesting would be what will happen to Pope Benedict XVI after he leaves his Vatican post. Let’s take a look.

Still good things to come

His new title is Pope Emeritus and he will still retain the title of Benedict XVI instead of going back to his given name of Joseph Ratzinger. The new form of address is “Your Holiness Benedict XVI.” The word “emeritus” means retired from the Latin verb “emereri,” or an “earned discharge from service.”

His Holiness, who will be flown by helicopter from the Vatican, will temporarily stay at Castel Gandolfo, a papal residence in Rome until his permanent residence, Mater Ecclesiae, quite near to Vatican City, is refurbished. It is a former convent and it has been reported that a 500-square meter lot has already been allocated so gardeners from the Vatican can cultivate an organic vegetable and fruit garden. The Pope specially enjoys the marmalades made from oranges grown in the convent.

Change of vestment and retirement of papal objects

After the pope leaves his office, all the objects tied to the St. Peter Ministry are to be destroyed according to the rules of the Vatican. His personal seal will be broken and his papal ring (fisherman’s ring) is to be smashed with a silver hammer that had been designed for that purpose. While he will still continue to wear the white papal clothes, it will be plain and simple, without any adornments. The Pope Emeritus will be wearing the handmade brown shoes crafted by Mexican artisans. These were a present to him when he visited Mexico in 2012.

Twitter @Pontifex

The Pope maintains a Twitter account, @Pontifex, which has versions in eight languages. It has about 1.6 million followers and they expect him to send his final tweets to say goodbye before he leaves his post. The account will then be put in hibernation. During the period before the selection of the new pope, called the interregnum, updates would be sent via @TerzaLoggia, the account of the Secretariat of State.

Post retirement activities

While the Pope Emeritus will no longer have official or administrative duties, he said that he would be praying for the Church and his brother believes that he might take up studying and writing. He had 200,000 books in his library at the papal apartments. The Pope has a lively personality. He loves cats and Contessina, one of his cats is already living at his future residence. He is fond of watching old comedies that were filmed in black and white and also plays the piano.

Other retirement privileges

His other retirement concessions include the retention of his private healthcare policy, which may also include the team of doctors that has been in-charge of his medical treatment and the German nuns who were looking after him while he was a pope.

Archbishop George Ganswein will continue to be his personal secretary, although the Archbishop will also be the head of household of the successor to Benedict XVI.